Slow-Play HeadsUp or Multi-Way

[Louie Landale]

A recent thread suggested to diverse opinions, so I'll start a new thread and get some direct replies.

You hold AK flop is KK8r. Whould you be more willing to slow-play this HeadsUp or Multi-Way? [1] You are first to act. [2] You are last and someone has bet (and if multi-way there are callers).

- Louie

[Homer]

1) First to act

I would be much more likely to slowplay against a small field.

a) Small field

The pot is small and I have a powerful hand that is not likely to be overtaken. I'd like to give my opponent an opportunity to catch a card on the turn that will improve him to a second best hand. Then again, if my opponent is observant he will notice that I raised from EP preflop and then checked on a flop of KKx. This should send off warning bells. Also, I want to be able to steal in the future when I raised preflop with something like AQ, so that pushes me towards betting.

In summary, in a small field when first to act, I bet against an observant opponent and check against a braindead opponent.

b) Large field

Against a large field I would be less likely to slowplay because:

-- The pot is already large since I raised from EP with AK and got a number of coldcallers (I must have since it is a multiway pot)
-- Since a number of opponents coldcalled preflop, they must be bad players, and thus will take one off on the flop with a wide variety of hands

2) Last to act

I would be much more likely to slowplay against a small field.

a) Small field

My reasons are pretty much the same as when first to act. But, I would be even more likely to slowplay than when in an early position. This is because there is no risk of it being checked around on the turn, since I have position.

b) Large field

Against a large field I would be less likely to slowplay because:

-- The pot is already large since I raised with AK and got a number of callers, and the flop was bet into by an EP player, with a number of callers before the action got to me
-- Since a number of opponents have already called a flop bet, they are almost certainly going to call one more
-- If I don't raise I'm giving up a lot of bets that I most likely won't be able to recoup on the turn, given that there are no draws on board for people to be calling a bet with on the turn
-- Since I raised preflop and an EP player still bet into me, it is likely that he has the case King. If I raise the flop hopefully he will just call and let the other players call, then try to checkraise me on the turn. If he checkraises I can three-bet. If I just call on the flop and then raise the turn, EP is unlikely to three-bet himself with a weak King.

-- Homer

[Bob T.]

I've got AK, I probably raised preflop, if it is headsup, checking would be suspicious, so I wouldn't slowplay, and if it is multiway, I don't have enough hand to slowplay. So I wouldn't slowplay here either. I don't want to lose to a freecard that I gave someone with pocket threes to spike their two outer.

[bernie]

alot of this depends on the makeup of the table. and how your opponents would play it. then id try and play the opposite. which usually means id be betting out with it.

it's suprising how many will call and pay off.

if it was HU and someone was betting into me, i may call though. just in case he'd fold to a raise. i want him to keep betting.

b

[elysium]

hi mr. landale
well, HU 1; opponent dependent and game condition dependent. if you have been betting out with the goods and your opponent knows that you would vary here, then bet out. if he doesn't think you would vary, then check.
HU 2; from last call, or bet and call, unless your opponent thinks you would vary. in that case, if you've been been raising from last with made hands, then raise.


MW 1); in a multi-way, you should SP. unless of course that's what you have been doing. now don't consider whether your opponents think you would vary, just vary.
MW 2); from last position, usually call, especially if there's a good aggressive blind in there; but a reraise isn't bad if it comes around 2 to you. never cap from LP though.

[Clarkmeister]

I wouldn't slowplay in any of those situations because my whole gameplan is designed specifically so that I don't have to slowplay flops like this.

[Mike Gallo]

I do not believe in slow playing. I thinks its often overated and overused. Like anything else if its done occasionally I find it a good way to mix up my play. I play with players who do not fold for one or two bets, so slow playing will lose me money. Most of the lower limit players, I play against will pay off with as little as pocket 4's. Why lose a few bets? In the right situation, I will slow play. I would most likely slow play head to head, then against a large/ medium field.

If I must act first, I will bet the flop. Then again I would bet the flop no matter what I had so my opponents will not know if I held a King or not. I bet hoping to get raised by someone who thinks I do not have it. I posted a hand similiar to this scenario. I called a raise with KQ and flopped a set of Kings. I bet every street and got called. My opponent had Aces and didnt think I would bet because a "good" player would slow play. I guess I dont play that well.

If somone leads into me, I will wait until the turn to raise. If its a rock who bet and he/she wouldnt bet with anything less than pocket 8's, I do not know if I would raise. Player dependant I will usually raise the turn.